Fetterman Comments On Colleagues Proposal For ICE
Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) is drawing sharp lines within his own party after publicly rejecting calls to abolish Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), standing firmly behind the embattled agency and its agents.
In recent comments, both on video and social media, Fetterman said he “fully supports” ICE and labeled demands to dismantle the agency as “inappropriate and outrageous.”
“ICE agents are just doing their job,” Fetterman stated in a video message. “People in my party might want to abolish it or treat them as criminals… that’s just inappropriate and outrageous.”
His defense of ICE directly contrasts with prominent figures within his own party. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) recently labeled ICE a “rogue agency” in a fundraising email, renewing her long-standing demand for its abolition. A recent leak from a House Democrat even suggested that anti-ICE protests should be willing to incur bloodshed to gain media attention, escalating the rhetoric within progressive circles.
ICE performs an important job for our country.
Any calls to abolish ICE are 💯 inappropriate and outrageous.
— U.S. Senator John Fetterman (@SenFettermanPA) July 10, 2025
Fetterman reinforced his message on X, formerly known as Twitter, declaring that ICE “performs an important job for our country” and repeating that abolition efforts are “100% inappropriate and outrageous.”
However, Fetterman’s position is not without complexity. While vocally supporting ICE’s law enforcement role, the senator also expressed backing for mass amnesty measures. “Absolutely support amnesty for the hardworking, otherwise law-abiding migrant workers,” he said. “Round up and deport the criminals. We must acknowledge the critical contribution migrants make to our nation’s economy.”
These statements come amid rising hostility toward federal immigration agencies. In McAllen, Texas, a gunman ambushed Border Patrol agents, injuring two before being fatally shot. In Los Angeles, four individuals were arrested for allegedly laying homemade spikes on roads to obstruct law enforcement vehicles.
As attacks on ICE and other immigration authorities intensify, Fetterman’s unequivocal stance may represent a broader reckoning for Democrats attempting to navigate the balance between border enforcement and immigration reform.